Typewriting machine



Sept. 6 1932.

E. B. HESS TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Edwal'dfi-Hars,

ATTORNEYS.

Sept. 6, 1932. E. B. HESS TYPEWRITING MACHINE File d Jan. 5, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 N VEN TOR.

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Patented Sept. 6, 1932 UNITED STATES EDWARD IB. HESS, or ORLANDO, FLORIDA, PANY, me, or NEW YoRK, N. Y.,

PATENT OFFICE,

ASSIGNOR'TO ROYAL TYPEWRITER CO]!!- A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK TYPEWRITING MACHINE Application filed January 5, 1931. Serial No. 506,807.

' same.

Among the several objects of my invention are to provide a typewriting machine in which each card will be be retained in its flat condition while it is in the machine and thereby avoid the objections above noted; to

provide such a machine with a flat platenon whieh the card is supported in flat conditlon during printing operations; to provide type carriers each having fiat upper and lower case types arranged at an angle to each other; to provide means for normally supporting the platen in a plane parallel tothe printing face of the lower case type when the latter is in printing position; and to provide means for moving the platen into parallelism with frame therefor;

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the type heads and showing particulary the angular relatlon between the flat upper and lower case types;

Figure 4 is 'a front elevation of the platen and the platen-supporting frame; and

- Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view thereof. p v

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

the machine includes generally a main frame A, a shift frame a carriage C, an escapement mechanism D for the carriage, a segment E supported on the main frame, a plurality of type carriers F, and a key lever G for actuating the type carrier.

The main frame includes side plates 5 which are formed with downwardly extending passages or slots 6 'arrangedin register in a transverse plane directly in rear of the segment E.

A fiat platen H is supported on a flat platen-supporting frame J which is secured intermediate its upper and lower ends to a horizontal rock shaft 7 which is journaled in the end plates 8, 8 of the carriage C. The platen frame J includes a back 9 and forwardly extending side flanges or guides 10,-

10. The platen H includes a plate 11 having forwardly extending side flanges or guides 12, 12 having undercut side faces 13, 13, and between which is removably mounted a flat unit comprising an outer layer 14 of rubber or the like for receiving type impacts and an inner layer 15 of lead, composition, fibre, or othersound deadening material, said layers being secured together preferably by vulcanizing. The platen H is mounted against the back 9 of the frame J and between the guide flan cs 10, 10 thereof. A series of anti-fric- @9 1 balls 16 is located in raceways 17 whichare formed partly in each flange 10 of the frame J and the adjacent flange 12 of the platen and function to permit the platen H to be moved vertically relative to the frame J for line spacing purposes by mechanism which is not disclosed in this application.

Surrounding each ball 16 is a gear 16a which is bodily movable with the ball, and is in constant engagement with racks 167) and 160 respectively fixed to the platen Hnnd platen-supporting frame J.

The platen is capable of being readily re-- moved from the frame by sliding the same upwardly and out of engagement with the platen frame J.

The platen H and the platen-supporting frame J are normally disposed in a plane extending upwardly and rearwardly, with the lower portions thereof disposed directly in rear of the segment E and in register with the passages or slots 6 of the main frame so as to permit the platen and its supporting frame to pass through the side walls of the main frame when the carriage is moved in opposite directions.

The platen H and its supporting frame J are capable of being swung about the pivot 7 and this movement is limited by front and moved upwardly for line spacing purposes I the card will be moved therewith.

The plate 11 of the platen H is provided with a transversely disposed and forwardly extending projection 11a constituting'a guide for the upper edge of the work sheet whereby the sheet may be readily squared with respect to the platen and type when the latter isin printing position.

Each type carrier F comprises a type bar 22 which is pivoted to the segment E as at 23, and includes a head 24 having flat upper and lower case types 25 and 26 respectively, whose printing faces are in planes at an obtuse angle to each other. The printing face of the lower case type 26 is disposed in parallelism with the longitudinal axis of the type bar. The type bars intheir normal positions are su ported by a head rest 27 attached to the main frame. Each type her, during its printing stroke, is swung upwardly and rearwardly to the vertical plane containing the axis 23 of the type bar, and thence rearwardly and downwardly into printing engagement with the platen H. The platen is normally upwardly and rearwardly inclined as shown in full lines in Figure 1 and is therefore normally disposed in parallelism with the printing face of the lower case type 26 when the latter isin printing position, while, at this time, the printing face of the upper case type 25 is in a plane at an acute angle to the platen and consequently the upper case type will not print when the lower case type is printing.

The angular relation between the printing faces of the upper and lower case types is indicated in Figure 1 by the lines ss and tt, and the angle thus formed is identical with the angle formed by the impressionsurface of the platen H when the platen is in its extreme positions.

The specific type bar action is disclosed in my Patent 1,390,708, of September 13, 1921, and includes a front link 28 pivoted on a wire 29, a link 30 pivotally connecting the front link and the heel of the type bar, the key lever G, a link 31 pivotally connecting the front link with said key lever, a return spring revaeee I have pivoted a universal bar or frame 34 i on the front link pivot wire 29. This universal bar or frame consists of two end plates 35, 35 and upper and lower tie rods 36 and 37. Theupper tie rod 36 also serves as an impact rod against which each front link 28 engages during its travel to actuate the type bar. Each front link 28 is provided with a projection 38 which, after the link has completed a part of its travel, contacts the rod 36 to thereby actuate the universal bar 34. PiVota-lly connected to the tie rod 37 is the forward end of a rearwardly extending link 39 which is pivotally connected at its rear end to the upper end of a vertical lever 40 fulcrumed intermediate its ends as at 41 to the main frame. The lower end of the vertical lever 40 is pivotally connected to the forward end of a rearwardly extending link 42 and the rear end of this link is pivotally connected to the lower end of a lever 43 which is fulcrumed intermediate its ends on the main frame. A spring 44 which is connected to the lever 43 and to the main frame functions to return;

the universal bar 34 to its initial position.

.lever 45 which actuates the escapement D. When a key lever G is depressed the front link 28 will actuate the universal bar 34 and consequently the lever 43 which in turn will engage the lever 45 and thereby actuate the escapement.

When it is desired to print with the upper case type 25 it is necessary to swing the platen H'into the dotted line position shown in Figure 1 and thereby position the'platen in parallelism with the printng face of said upper case type, and, in order that the upper case type will print on the same printing line on the card 20 as the lower case type, it is necessary to elevate the platen. To this end l have provided a shift key lever 46 and connections between said lever and the platen an'dother connections between said lever and the carriage whereby the above movements to the platen will be effected.

53 of a bell crank lever 54 which is fixed to a rock shaft 55 journaled in the side plates 5 of the main frame. The bell crank lever includes a rearwardly extending arm 56 to which one end of a rod 57 is connected, the other end of the rod being connected to an arm which is not shown but which is similar to the arm 56, and which is fixed to the rock naled on the upper end of each arm and engages a slot 61 formed in a bracket 62 secured to the adjacent side edge of the support J, the major axis-of the slot extending in parallelism with the support. Fixed to the rock shaft 58 is a rearwardly extending arm 63 to which the upper end of a vertically dis- 1 posed thrust link 64 is pivotally connected.

The lower end of the thrust link 64.- is providedwith a fork 65 which straddles the rod 57. A forwardly ext nding guide 66 fixed to the carriage C rece ves the thrust link 64 and not only guides the same during endwise movement thereof but also serves to assist the arm 63 in moving the link bodily with the carriage during feeding and return movements thereof.

The rear end of the link 51 is pivotally connected to the lower end of a vertical lever 67 which is centrally pivoted as at 68 to the main frame of the machine. The upper end of the lever 67 is pivotally connected by a link 69 to the shift arm 70 of the shift frame B, the shift arm being pivoted as at 71 to the main frame. Thus, whenever the shift key lever 46 is depressed, the carriage C will be elevated, and the platen H will be swung forwardly into parallelism with the printing face of the upper case type 25.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that a card may be positioned on the flat platen and retained thereon in flat condition during the entire period the card is in the'machine;

' that when the platen is in its normal position and a key lever is depressed the type bar will be swung upwardly to a vertical plane V containing the pivot of the type bar and thence downwardly and rearwardly to printing position where the printing face of the lower case type will be in parallelism with the platenand the upper case type will be at an acute angle thereo; that upomdepre s sion of the key lever the escapement mechanism willbe actuated and the carriage moved in letter space direction; that, when it is desired :to print upper case type, the shift key lever is depressed (I) to swing the platen forwardly into a position whereby said platen will parallel the printing face of the upper case type when the latter is in printing position and whereb the lower case type will be I 'at an acute ang e to the platen, and (2) to elevate the carriage and platen whereby the same printing line on the card will be presented to the-type.

I claim: I 1. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a type carrier, of flat types mount ed on said carrier and havingprinting faces disposed at an angle to each other, a flat platen normally disposed in a plane parallel to the printing face of one type when said type is in printing position and movable into another lane disposed in parallelism with the printing face of the other type When said other type is in printing position, and means for moving the platen from one position to theother.

2. In a typewrlting machine, the combination with a type carrier, of flat upper and lower case types mounted on said carrier and having printing faces disposed at an angle to each other, a flat platen normally disposed in a plane parallel to the printing face of the lower case type when said lower casetype is in printing position and movable into another plane disposed in parallelism with the printing face of the upper case type when said upper case type is in printing position,

and means for movlng the platen from oneposition to the other.

3. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a type carrier, of flat upper and lower case types mounted on said carrier and having printing faces disposed at an angle to each other, a flat platen normally d'isposed in a plan'e'parallel to the printing face of the lower case type when said lower case type is in printing position and movable into another plane disposed in parallelism with the printing face of the upper case type when said upper case type is in printing position, and means for moving the platen from dne position to the other and for elevating the platen to present the same printing line of the platen to the upper case type.

4. In a typewriting machine, a flat platen normally inclined rearwardly, a type carrier movable in a fixed path from a position of rest to printing position, flat types mounted on said carrier and having printing faces 5. In a typewriting machine, a fiat platen normally inclined rearwardly, a type. carrier movable ina fixed path from a position of rest to printing position, flat types mountedon said carrier and having printing faces which are disposed at an angle to each other one of said faces being disposed in parallelism with the platen and the other being disposed at an angle to the platen when said one face is in printing position,

and means for changing the angle of inclination of the platen and for elevating the platen to present the same printing line of the platen to the other type face whereby the A}. Leaaaae which are disposed at an angle to each other,

one of said faces being disposed in parallelism with the platen and the other being disposed at an angle to the platen when said one face is in printing position, and means for changing the angle of inclination of the platen to parallel the other type face when the latter is in printing position.

7. In a typewriting machine, a flat platen element normally inclined rearwardly, a segment element located in front of the platen,

' type arms pivoted to said segment, flat upper and lower case types mounted on each type bar'and having printing faces which are disposed at an angle to each other, the printing face of the lower type being disposed in parallelism with the platen element and the face of the upper type being disposed at an angle to the platen elem'ent when said one face is in printing position, and means for changing the angle of inclination .of the platen element and for elevating one of said elements to present the same printing line thereof to the upper case type and in parallelism with the printing face of said type when the latter is in printing position.

8. In a typewriting machine, a flat platen normally inclined rearwardly, a segment located in front of the platen, type arms pivoted to said segment, fiat upper and lower case types mounted on each type bar and having printing faces which are disposed at an angle to each other, the printing face of the lower type being disposed in parallelism with the platen and the face of the upper type being disposed at an angle to the platen when the lower type face in is printing position, and means for changing the angle of inclination of the platen and for elevating said platen to present the same printing line thereof to the upper case type and in parallelism with the printing face of the upper type when the latter is in printing position.

9. In a typewriting machine, a fiat platen normally inclined rearwardly, a type carrier movable in a fixed path from a position of, rest to printing position, flat types mounted on said carrier and having prlnt-ing faces which are disposed at an angle to each other, one of said facesbeing disposed in parallel ism with the platen and the other being dis posed at an angle to the platen when said one face is in printing position, and means including a key lever and connections between the lever and the platen for changing the angle of inclination of the platen to parallel the other type face when the latter is in printing position.

10. In a typwriting machine, a flat platen normally inclined rearwardly, a type carrier movable in a fixed path from a position of rest to printing position, flat types mounted on said carrier and having printing faces which are disposed at an angle to each other, one of said faces being disposed in parallelism with the platen and the other being disposed at an angle to the platen when said one face is in printing position, and means including a key lever and connections between the lever and the platen for changing the angle of inclination of the platen and for elevating the platen to present the same printing line of the platen to the other type face whereby the latter will be in parallelism with the platen when in printing position.

11. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a segment, of a plurality of type bars pivoted thereto, a flat platen disposed in rear of the segment and fulcrumed on a horizontal axis normally located centrally between the upper and lower edges of the platen, said platen being normally inclined upwardly and rearwardly and having its lower portion disposed directly in rear of the segment, fiat types mounted on each type bar and having printing faces which are disposed at an angle to each other, one of said faces being disposed in parallelism with the platen and the other being disposed at an angle to the platen when said one face is in printing position, and, means for swinging the platen about its fulcrum and into parallelism with the other type face when the latter is in printing position and for elevating said platen to present the same printing line thereof to said other type face.

12. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a main frame, of a shift frame mounted on the main frame for vertical movements, a carriage supported on the shift frame for letter space movements, a flat platen rockable about a horizontal axis on the carriage, a plurality of type bars pivoted on the main frame, upper and lower case type mounted on each type bar and disposed at an angle to each other, theplaten being nor-" mally upwardly and rearwardly inclined and in parallelism with the printing face of the lower case type when the latter is in printing position, and means for raising the shift frame and for swinging the platen whereby the platen will be disposed inparallelism with the printing face of the upper pase type when the latter is in printing position and for presenting the same printing line of the platen to said upper case type.

13. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen-supporting frame, of a fiat platen slidably mounted in said frame, a type carrier having flat typeswhose printing faces are disposed at an angle to each other, oneof said faces being disposed in parallelism with the platen and the other being disposed at an angle to the platen when said a one face is in printing position, said platen being normally disposed in parallelism with the printing face of one of the types when the latter is in printing position and at an angle to the printing face of the other type, and means for elevating the platen and the platen-supporting frame and for changing the angle of inclination to position said platen in parallelism with the printing face of said other type and for positioning the same printing line of the platen to the printing face of said other type.

14. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a main frame, of a shift frame mounted on the main frame for vertical movements, a carriage supported on the shift frame for letter space movements, a flat platen rockable about a horizontal axis on the carriage, a plurality of type bars pivoted on the main frame, upper and lower case type mounted on each type bar and disposed at an angle to each other, the platen being normall y upwardly and rearwardly inclined and in parallelism with the printing face of the lower case type when the latter is in printing position, means for raising the shift frame and for swinging the platen whereby the platen will be disposed in parallelism with the printing face of the upper case type when the latter is in printing position and for presenting the same printing line of the platen to said upper case'type, and means for simultaneously elevating the carriage and for swinging the platen.

15. In a typewriting machine, a flat platen normally inclined rearwardly, a segment located in front of the platen, type arms pivoted to said segment, flat upper andlower case types mounted on each type bar and having printing faces which are disposed at an angle to each other, the printing face of the lower type being disposed in parallelism with the platen and the face of the upper type being disposed at an angle to the platen when the type is in printing position, and means for changing the angle of inclination of the platen and for elevating said platen to present the same printing line thereof to the upper case type and in parallelism with the printing face of the type when the latter is in printing position, the platen being normally inclined rearwardly in both lower and upper case printing positions.

16. In a typewriting machine, a carriag having end plates, a flat platen disposed between and pivoted to said end plates, and

- means for swinging the platen including slotted plates movable with the platen during pivotal movements thereof, a rock shaft j ournaled onthe end plates, arms fixed to the rock shaft and engageable in the slots of 'the plates, and means for oscillating said rock shaft.

17. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a main frame, of a carriage mounted thereon for letter space movements, a fiat platen normally inclined rearwardly, means for pivotally supporting the platen on the carriage to swing about a horizontal axis located in rear of the platen face and normally located centrally between the top and bottom thereof, a type carrier mounted on the main frame, flat types mounted on the carrier and having printing faces disposed at an angle to each other, said platen being normally disposed in a plane parallel to the printing face of one type when said type is in printing position and movable into another plane disposed in parallelism with the printing face ofthe other type when said other type is in printing position, and means for swinging the platen from one position to the other.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

EDWARD B. HESS. 

